16-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek from Kathmandu via Larkya La Pass

• After landing at Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be greeted by a representative and transferred to your hotel.
• After check-in, you can freshen up and rest. In the evening, a welcome dinner will be hosted.
• Overnight in Kathmandu.

• Tour Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath Stupa, and Boudhanath Stupa, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Durbar Square reveals the life of the royals in ancient times.
• Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
• Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple, and Boudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world.

• Your guide will meet you at the hotel, and after breakfast you will leave Kathmandu.
• Your driver for the day will take you toward Gorkha and onward to Machha Khola (Fish River).
• The drive passes through local communities, rivers, suspension bridges, green terraces, and hills.
• The roads can be bumpy and muddy, but along the way you may catch views of Annapurna South, Ganesh Himal, and Langtang Himal.
• You will arrive at the hotel in time for dinner.

• Today is the first day of the trek you have been looking forward to. Your guide will not only lead the trail but also share knowledge, entertain the team, and take care of you.
• You will begin walking along the twisting trail on the bank of the Buri Gandaki River.
• As you enter the forest trail, you may see many monkeys and langurs.
• After the forest, you will walk through Gurung villages such as Lower Khorlabeshi. In the village, you will notice shepherds clad in a typical smoke-browned cape called Bokkhu.
• After more ascending and descending, you will arrive at a small hot spring in Tatopani, a good place to take a break.
• Crossing the west bank of the Budhi Gandaki, you will climb over a ridge, trek along the river, and then continue up toward the village of Jagat.
• Jagat is the gateway to the Manaslu Conservation Area, where your permits are stamped after verification. Overnight in a hotel.
  Trekking time: 6-7 hours
  Trekking distance: 13.7 miles (22 km)
  Accommodation: Teahouse

• Leaving Jagat, you will cross a ridge that leads to the village of Salleri, after which you descend to Sirdibas.
• You then cross to the other side of the Buri Gandaki River using the large suspension bridge and later ascend sharply to Philim.
• After crossing the river, the trail enters an amazing part of the gorge, with orchids above.
• After that, a steep climb on the west side of the valley leads through bamboo forests to Deng village. Overnight at a teahouse in Deng.

Trekking time: 6-7 hours
Trekking distance: 12.3 miles (19.9 km)
Accommodation: Teahouse

• The trek takes you across a Buddhist-influenced region, with a few minor ups and downs, mainly through the forests.
• You will then reach Ghap through a complex kani with well-conserved paintings and an elegant mani wall.
• The trail continues through several landslide zones.
• At this point, you must be extra careful as you walk.
• You must also pay close attention to your guide's instructions to maintain physical safety.
• After the landslide zone, you will follow the trail up to Namrung.
• After about an hour on the uneven trail, you will climb a zigzag path from the river to the neat village of Namrung (2660 m).
• The village has some of the best teashops, a restaurant, and rest houses on the trek, along with a vintage view of Singhi Himal.

Trekking time: 6-7 hours
Trekking distance: 12.1 miles (19.5 km)
Accommodation: Teahouse

• You will begin the trek after breakfast.
• First, you will climb steadily through forests to reach Lihi, a fine village with many stupas and barley terraces. The trail then drops and crosses the side valley of Simnang Himal, with Ganesh Himal always close by.
• The people here are locally renowned as the Nubri people, meaning people of the north.
• You will explore and experience their typical lifestyle and foods as you trek through this area. The stone-carved mani walls, lush terraces, and houses are unique sights to witness.
• You will pass through large fir, rhododendron, and oak forests.
• As you reach Lho village, you will witness one of the best views of the Himalayas.
• In the afternoon, you will hike to see the monastery of Lho village.
• You will have the chance to greet the young monks and exchange smiles.

Trekking time: 6-7 hours
Trekking distance: 10.9 miles (17.7 km)
Accommodation: Teahouse

• The sun-kissed summit of Manaslu can often be seen early in the morning from Lho, depending on the weather.
• After breakfast, you will leave Lho village at a gentle pace.
• As you walk, the picturesque view of Mt. Manaslu accompanies you.
• You will follow an easy trail to Shyapla, passing through pine and rhododendron gullies with moss and gin-clear streams.
• From Shyapla, you will walk for almost an hour to reach Sama Gaon.
• The stupa, yak pastures, and typical dense settlement of Sama Gaon are wonderful to see.
• You will check your permits and settle into your rest house for the night.

• Sama Gaon is the principal village of the Nubri people and has a large gompa, many shops, a health post, a heliport, and telephone and Wi-Fi access.
• Today is an acclimatization day, so you can sleep in and relax.
• Enjoy a refreshing breakfast and spend the day in Samagaon getting some rest.
• For those who want to explore, there is an optional day hike to a small hill near Sama village, where you will find the old Pungyen Gompa, a monastery with great views of the glacier.
• Manaslu Base Camp can also be hiked in a day with a packed lunch if you feel like it. The base camp is at an elevation of 4400 meters.

• After breakfast in Samagaon, you will descend to the Budhi Gandaki River and follow it to a bridge over a side stream.
• You will pass several mani walls as the valley begins to widen.
• The mountain views along this route are amazing and bring you close to the Tibetan border.
• This is an easy trek on a shelf above the river, passing juniper and birch forests in Kermo Kharka.
• You then drop down and cross the Budhi Gandaki on a wooden bridge before climbing steeply onto a promontory between two forks of the river.
• You will come to a stone archway and continue walking until you reach the village of Samdo.

Trekking time: 4 hours
Trekking distance: 10.1 miles (16.4 km)
Accommodation: Teahouse

• The trail is smooth at first and becomes steeper once you cross the river and take the right turn toward the border.
• From there, if you look toward the south of Samdo Glacier, you can get excellent photos with a huge serac near the top of the glacier.
• In season, you may also spot blue sheep, pikas, and marmots.

• Your guide will brief you on the feasible wake-up time for crossing the pass. After breakfast, you will head north toward Larkya Pass with a gradual ascent.
• As you climb, you may catch the first touch of sunlight on peaks such as Cho Danda and Larkya Peak.
• You will walk across glacier moraines, making a steady ascent that becomes steeper in the final section before the pass.
• From the top, there are outstanding views of mountains such as Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, and the massive Annapurna II.
• You will finish with a rewarding walk into the misty low pastures of beautiful Bimthang in the early evening, with Mount Manaslu looming in the distance.

Trekking time: 7-11 hours
Trekking distance: 15.3 miles (24.7 km)
Accommodation: Teahouse

• After breakfast in Bimthang, head to a nearby ridge where you can enjoy great views of Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, Himlung Himal, and Cheo Himal.
• Continue descending on the trail and cross a high pasture followed by a bridge over the Dudh Khola River.
• From here, walk through a rhododendron forest and follow a trail through a narrow valley until you reach the highest cultivated land of the valley at Karche.
• Pass through lush fields before making a steep climb over a ridge. The trail leaves the ridge in a big, sweeping arc down to the riverbank.
• A short distance beyond lies the village of Gho, where some trekkers choose to stay the night, but you will continue on to Tilije.

Trekking time: 5-6 hours
Trekking distance: 10 miles (16 km)
Accommodation: Teahouse

• Drive toward Besisahar via Dharapani.
• This is where the Annapurna Conservation Area permit is verified.
• The roads are unpaved until you reach Besisahar, so you will travel by off-road 4WD jeep.
• Along the way, you will stop by a beautiful waterfall in Chyamje.

• Then continue on the highway to Kathmandu.
• While seated in your jeep or bus, you will have the opportunity to enjoy both hill and mountain landscapes, often coming into direct view along the banks of the Marsyangdi and Trishuli rivers.
• You will stop for lunch on the highway and eventually check in at your hotel in Kathmandu by evening.

Overnight in hotel.

• Your guide will drive you to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
• Proceed with airport check-in and your onward flight.
• Your tour services end here.

This itinerary is only a guideline and is occasionally subject to change to suit local conditions, particularly on this trek where a lot of time is spent above 3000 meters.